Eltjshing-valve



J. M. WRIGHT AND J. F. DAVIS.

FLUSI- IING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1919.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 @wuantozs JO/UL'M mid/Li J. M. WBIGHTAND 1. F. DAVIS.

FLUSHING -VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, law,

. m5 5 mm 3% m 1M m a m 0 1 1 H a 2 6 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN M. WEIGHT AND JOHN F. DAVIS, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

FLUSHING-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed January 13, 1919. Serial No. 270,904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JO N M. lVRrorrr and JOHN F. DAvIs, citizens of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson, and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has special reference to outside closets located in cold climates and has for its object the provision of a simple and efiici'ent valve whereby the water which might otherwise remain in the tubing and freeze will be drained therefrom so that freezing will be avoided and the operative condition of the valve maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the interior mechanism may be easily removed from the tubing or valve casing without requiring the same to be removed from the ground or disassembled.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide mechanism whereby a flushing valve and a supply valve will be automatically moved in opposite directions when the closet is used so that one will be seated and the other unseated to control the flow of water.

Other and incidental objects will appear in the course of the following description and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a valve embodying our improvements in connection with a portion of a closet bowl, the closed position of'the valve being shown by full lines and the open position'by dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a section of the lower portion of the apparatus taken at a right angle to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the valve and parts immediately cooperating therewith in elevation and showing the tubing or valve casing in section,

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on the line 4.1 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve and valve stem, and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the lower inner barrel and guide.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a closet bowl which may beof any desired construction, the reference numeral 2 indicates the closet seat which is carried by a lever or swinging arm 3 fulcrumed at 4 upon a post 5. The reference numeral 6 indicates the flushing pipe connecting the valve casing with the bowl, the numeral 7 indicates the pipe connecting the valve casing with a tank disposed at a level above the bowl, and the numeral 8 indicates a portion of the inlet pipe leading from a water main or other source of supply. The upper valve casing 9 is constructed with a nipple 10 to be coupled to the pipe 6 and disposed at the upper end of the casing while the post 5 rises from the upper end of said casing at a point preferably diametrically opposite the said nipple. The said casing is also provided with a nipple 11 below the post 5 and the nipple 10, which is coupled to the pipe 7, and in the lower end of said casing is secured the upper end of the tubing or casing 12 which may extend to any desired depth and should extend to a point below the frost line so that freezing will not be apt to occur. To the lower end of the tubing 12 we secure the upper end of a sleeve 13 in the lower end of which is. a nut or cap 14: carrying the inlet pipe 8 and the said pipe 8 is provided centrally with an extension 15, the upper end of which serves as a valve seat. Within the casing 9 and at the level of the lower wall of the nipple 10 we provide an annular rib 16 which constitutes an upper valve seat, and arranged to rest upon the said seat is a disk valve 17 which is secured rigidly to and carried by a valve stem 18, said stem passing through the upper end of the casing and through a cap 19 secured in the casing and equipped with a gland 20 around the stem to prevent leakage. The upper end of the said stem 18 bears against the under side of .the lever 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The disk valve 17 is equipped with a washer 21 upon its under face so as to obtain a tight engagement with the seat 16 and the stem 18 depends below the valve as shown, the depending portion being constructed with a longitudinal slot 22 and terminating in an annular flange or disk :23 provided with openings 24. This annular flange or disk 23 should be of such diameter as to fitagainst and be guided by the inner face of the lower wall of the valve casing 9 and the openings formed therethrough provide passage for the water inthe operation of the apparatus. B etween the va ve ,andc h g id isk 2 P1922 spaced lugs 25 is rovided on one side of the stem for a purpose which will presently appear. The longitudinal slot 22 opens through the lower end of the stem and receives the upper portion of a lower valve stem 26 which is provided at its upper extremity with a lateral fork or spaced lugs 27 similar in form and arrangement to the fork or lugs 25. Links 28 are provided at the sides of the stem 18 and the ends of these links are connected by cylindrical pins 29 and 30 passing respectively through the forks 25 and 27 and at the centers of the links on the outer faces of the same are studs or fulcrum lugs 31 which are adapted to rest on projections 32 on the walls of the valve casing 9. A spring 33 is coiled around the stem 26 between a stop 34 thereon and the valve or disk 23 and tends constantly to expand so that the stems will be moved in opposite directions and the valves carried by them will be yieldably held one closed and the other open. To the lower extremity of the stem 26 we swivel the upper end of a cylindrical body 35, to the lower extremity of which is secured a washer 36 adapted to bear upon the valve seat 15, the said body 35 thereby constituting a supply valve. In one side of the body 35 is a recess 37 in which is fitted a valve 38, the stem of this valve being in the form of a screw 39 inserted through a diametrical opening in the body 35 and engaged in the valve as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A spring 40 is coiled around the said stem between the valve 38 and a shoulder 41 in the body 35 so as to yieldably hold the valve against the inner surface of a barrel 42 secured in the lower end of the tubing 12 and constituting a guide for the valve body 35. This barrel 42 is provided with a longitudinal slot 43 which receives the head 44 of the screw stem 39 and the upper end of the barrel is inclined or tapered toward the said slot as shown at 45 so that whatever position the valve body 35 may be in when it is inserted in the barrel, it will be automatically rotated about its own longitudinal axis to bring the valve 38 into proper position to extend over the inner end of a drain tube 46 whichis secured in the side of the sleeve 13 and the barrel and leads to the soil pipe. As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, this drain tube 46 has its outer surface threaded so that it will serve as a screw to secure the barrel 42 in its proper position within the sleeve 13. The lower end of the barrel is spaced from the nut or cap 14 so that there is ample space for the flow of water into the tubing when the supply valve is opened. It is thought that the operation will be readily understood. The spring 33, as previously stated, tends constantly to expand so that the flange 23 and the stop 34 are moved apart and the valve 35 seated, the

inner end of the drain tube 46 being uncovered and the valve 17 being raised from its seat 16. Under these conditions, any water which may be in the tank will flow through the pipe 7, the valve casing 9 and the pipe 6 into the bowl so as to flush the same and the small quantity of water which will pass into the tubing 12 will drain therefrom through the tube 46. Then the closet seat is lowered for use the valve 3 bearing upon the stem 18 will force the same downward so that the valve 17 will be seated and the downward movement of the stem will, of course, carry with it the fork 25 so that the pin 29 will be lowered and the links 28 rocked upon theirfulcrum studs 31 to thereby lift the pin 30 and raise the fork 27 and the stem 26 depending from said fork. The valve 35 will thus be unseated while the valve 38 will be caused to cover the end of the drain tube 46, the spring 33 being compressed. Water will now flow through the inlet 8 past the valve seat 15 and through the slot 43 in the barrel 42 and around said barrel, rising in the tubing 12 and the openings 24 in the flange 23 and thence passing through the pipe 7 into the tank. When the seat is released, the spring 33 will at once expand so that the valve 17 will be unseated and the valve 35 seated, thereby cutting oii further inflow of water and providing an outlet for the water in the tank which will at once flow through the pipes 7 and 6 to the bowl and flush the same. The openings 24 being of very slight area compared to the bore of the pipes 7 and 6, only a very small portion of the water will pass into the tubing 12 and this water will be effectually drained therefrom through the drain tube 46 so that there will be no accumulation of the water in the tubing 12 which might freeze and render the device inoperative.

It will be readily noted that our mechanism is simple and compact and positively moves the valves 17 and 35 in opposite directions so that one will be seated when the other is unseated and the flow of water effectually controlled. It will also be noted that the valves are all smooth faced valves which engage fiat against their. respective seats and the seats are all plane faced. The opening through the valve seat 16 is greater than the diameter of the valve body 35 and the flange 23 so that if it should be necessary to examine the working parts of the mechanism the entire apparatus may be removed by simply withdrawing the cap 19'and then lifting the stem 18 from the valve casing. All the valves being hung upon the said stem, they will, of course, be withdrawn through the valve seat 16 so that it is unnecessary to disassemble the tubing or per form any excavating so that worn washers may be renewed or broken parts replaced in a very short period of time and With very little labor.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as newis:

1. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a flushing valve, a supply valve, a drain valve, EIIIQ means for simultaneously moving the flushing valve and the supply valve in opposite directions, the drain valve moving with the supply valve.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination with a bowl and a lever carrying a closet seat, of a valve casing in communication with the bowl, valve stems having overlapping ends in sliding engagement, the upper stem bearing against the said lever, a flushing valve carried by the said upper stem, a supply valve and a drain valve carried by the lower stem, a rocking connection between the stems, and yieldable means tending to move the stems apart and acting in opposition to the said lever.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination with a valve casing, of a flushing valve, a supply valve, stems extending from the said valves and having their ends overlapping, a rocking connec tion between the overlapping ends of the stems mounted within the valve casing, and yield-able means acting on the said stems to move the same apart.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a valve casing having an internal valve seat and provided with ports above and below said seat, tubing depending from said valve casing and provided with an inlet port in its lower end, valve stems disposed axially within the casing and tubing, operative connections between the ends of the stems, a flushing valve carried by the upper stem and adapted to rest upon the internal valve seat of the valve casing, a supply valve carried by the lower stem and adapted to close the inlet port, the several valves and stems with the connections between the same being removable through the top of the valve casing.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a flushing valve mounted in the upper portion of the casing, a stem extending from the said valve and having a slotted lower extremity, a supply valve arranged in the lower portion of the casing and having a stem rising therefrom with its upper end engaging slidably in the slotted extremity of the first mentioned stem, and rocking connections be tween the ends of said stems supported within the valve casing.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a flushing valve mounted therein and having a stem projecting through the upper end of the casing and also depending below the valve, the lower depending portion of said stem being longitudinally slotted, a supply valve in the lower portion of the casing, a stem rising from said valve and having its upper end slidably engaging the slotted extremity of the first mentioned stem, supports within the valve casing, rockers disposed at the sides of the stems and mounted on said support, and means for connecting the ends of the rockers with the respective valve stems.

7. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a valve casing, a flushing valve mounted therein, a stem carrying said valve and depending therefrom and having its lower portion longitudinally slotted, a supply valve in the lower portion of the casing, a stem rising from said valve and having its upper end slidably engaging the slotted portion of the first mentioned stem and provided with a lateral fork, a fork 011 the side of the upper stem, supports within the casing at the sides of the stems, rockers mounted on said supports, and pins carried by the opposite ends of said rockers and engaging the respective adjacent forks.

8. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a valve casing, a flushing valve mounted in the casing, a stem carrying said valve and depending therefrom, the lower portion of said stem being longitudinally slotted, a supply valve in the lower portion of the casing, a stem rising from said valve and having its upper end slidably engaging the slotted portion of the upper stem, a rocking connection between the stems, a stop on the lower stem, and an expanding spring coiled around said stem between said stop and the lower extremity of the upper stem.

9. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing having an inlet port in its lower end and a drain port in its side near said lower end, a valve stem disposed axially within the casing, a supply valve swiveled upon the lower end of said stem, a drain valve carried by said supply valve, and a guide within the casing whereby to cause the supply valve to present the drain valve to the drain port.

10. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a stem mounted axially within the casing, a barrel secured in the lower end of the casing and having a longitudinal slot and having its upper end tapered toward said slot, the easing and said barrel being provided with a drain port in one side and there being an inlet port at the lower end of the casing, a supply valve swiveled upon the lower end of the stem, a projection on said valve adapted to ride upon the tapered end of the barrel and enter the longitudinal slot therein, and a drain valve mounted in the side of the supply valve to cover the drain port.

11. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing having an opening in its top and an internal valve seat axially alined with said opening, the casing being provided with supply and drain ports at its lower end, a closure for the opening in the top of the casing, an upper valve stein guided by said closure; a valve carried by said stem to engage said internal valve seat, a lower valve stem, operative connections between the two valve stems, a supply valve on the lower stem, and a drain valve 15 In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- 20 tures.

JOHN M. WRIGHT. JOHN F. DAVIS.

[L. s.] [L. s.] 

